From Fr Greg's Desk: Sunday 28th May, 2023

Hi everyone!
Hope you are all doing well in the midst of this 'cold snap', and weathering the usual coughs and sniffles that usually accompany them.

Recent Retreat in the Philippines
I just got back last Tuesday from two weeks of retreat at Tagaytay, and a short visit to my former 'missionary outpost' in Cebu, both in the Philippines. It was a wonderful time firstly of quiet reflection and then joyful reunion with old friends and fellow co-workers in the Lord's vineyard over there. I thank you all wholeheartedly for all your kind prayers for my safe journey and return home.

I am also very grateful to Frs. Dan, Steve and Daniele, as well as Judy and the Parish Office staff, and the others who faithfully covered for me in my absence, giving me the freedom to be able to take this very necessary break. I am now back into the swing of things, having 'hit the ground running' last Tuesday morning after an overnight flight, and am very happy to be home with you all once again.

Free Bus Travel to 'Walk for Christ' Corpus Christi Eucharistic Procession Sunday 11th June
In two weeks’ time, we will once again be gathering at Martin Place at 2.30 pm for our annual Archdiocesan 'Walk for Christ' procession through the streets of the Sydney CBD, for the Feast of Corpus Christi. The festivities will begin at 1.30 pm at Martin Place with live music and entertainment, before departing en route to St. Mary's Cathedral forecourt, and an address by Archbishop Anthony Fisher followed by a short period of Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament.

I would like to cordially invite you and your families to come along to this event, together with some of the priests of the Parish, and walk under our own "Ryde Gladesville Catholic Parish banner, which was made especially for this purpose, as a way of manifesting our faith in public to those around us. A free chartered bus service will be provided on the day by the Archdiocese for about 50 parishioners, but you will have to get in early to book a seat. Please book your seat on that bus via https://www.trybooking.com/CIQBI or ring the Parish Office during the week. Please note that the free bus tickets are limited, and will be awarded to parishioners on a first come first served basis, so get in quick.

Dempsey Medal Awarded for Vaughan Kelly (presented to him in absence due to illness)
As seen on the front page of the Catholic Weekly this week, some 51 people were presented with the coveted Dempsey Award for service to Parish and Archdiocese over many years. Our own Vaughan Kelly was nominated for the award, and was due to receive it last Sunday, except that he developed an acute medical condition just beforehand, and spent the weekend in hospital instead!

We are so sorry that Vaughan could not be present at this year's Mass in the Cathedral, and we pray for his speedy recovery. Good on you, Vaughan!

Adult Confirmations this Sunday 2.30 pm at St. Mary's Cathedral for four Candidates prepared by Fr. Dan.
Over the last seven weeks, Fr. Dan has been preparing five parishioners, Gerardo Macip Triulzi
Christopher Oliveira, Tania Reid, Sabella Tjang, Henry Grech, for the Sacrament of Confirmation, which they will be receiving this Sunday afternoon at 2.30 pm in St. Mary's Cathedral, and you are all welcome to attend. This, by the way, is in addition to the eight people he helped prepare for the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults at Easter. That was for seven people receiving Baptism, First Holy Communion and Confirmation, and one more who came to us from another Christian Church, having already been validly baptised.

This weekends' batch, however, is for five baptised Catholics who have for various reasons 'fallen through the cracks' and never received the sacrament of Confirmation, even though they had received the other 'Sacraments of Initiation'.

Confirmation will be conferred on them at the Cathedral, at a special Pentecost Mass on Sunday afternoon by Bishop Danny Meagher, DD, who is also our local bishop for our area of the Archdiocese of Sydney.

We will be subsequently welcoming Bishop Danny Meagher to our Parish next month (and for the first time in his ministry as our local Bishop) to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation on about 90 of our younger members of the Parish community.

And that's about it for now. God bless you all, and take good spiritual care of both yourselves and those entrusted to your care.

Your brother, in Christ’s missionary service,

Fr. Greg